Inking device



y 2- I w. H. YOUNG ET AL 1,860,124

INKING DEVICE Filed Feb. 21. 1927 lm/n'loiw. Ltd/{E H Yang 29 Fm i! 0. Em [and Patented Ma 24, 1932 I1 (UNITED. STA -es PATENT mm WALTER H. YOUNG AND EMIL 0. ECKLAN D, 'OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS I rnxme DEVICE Application filed February 21, 1927. Serial No. 169,890;

The'invention relates to automatic inking devices for recording machines operating by means of ribbons, as for instance typewriters, calculating machines, bookkeeping machines, etc, to which it'may be associated with, as standard equipment or as an accessory.

It is an object of the'invention to utilize the movement of the ribbon for actuating an 1 element by means of which ink is applied to the ribbon during the movement of the same.

Y It is also an object of the invention to pro-' vide a device of this character in which a uniform supply of ink is applied to the ribbon during its operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character in which the element feeding the ink to the ribbon is maintained out of immediate contact with feeding of relatively small quantitiesof ink to the ribbon, and to provide a transfer mechanism between the ink feeding element and the supply for conveying uniform quantities of ink from the supply to the ink feeding element.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a novel container for the ink snpply, whereby the presence of an excessive amount of ink in association with the transfer elementis avoided, and it is furthermore an object of the invention to provide an ink supply which is automatically ventilated to avoid variations of pressure over the body of ink. Another object 'of the invention is to provide a device of this type which may readily be attached to or removed from the machine with which it is to be associated, and to pro- 0 vide novel means for permitting the removal of the device from operative to inoperative position without necessitating the complete detachment of the same.

With these and numerous other objects in view an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and is described in the following specification in which reference is made to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a typewriting machine having the device attached;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the ribbon inking device 3 Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fi ure 2 shown at a slightly larger scale;

igure 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of portion obvious that the device may be attached to r all makes of typewriters and similar ribbon operating machines. 1 v

The typewriter illustrated shows the frame 1, the paper platen 2, ribbon spools3, and ribbon 4, the ribbon being guided over rollers 5 to the ribbon guide 6. A bar 7 extends transversely of the frame near the top;

The ribbon inking-device includes an ink reservoir in the form of a casing 10, and an ink-well 11 which communicates with the reservoir 10 through a pair of pipes 12, 13,

whereby the same level of ink ir'nthe casing 10 and in the well 11 ismaintained. An additional vent 14 may also be provided ,on' the reservoir, this vent being normally closed by a a. plug or screw cap, 15, andthrough which the reservoir '10 may be filled with ink without detaching the device from the machine.

The well 11 is enlarged near its-upper end by a forward extension 16, which communicates with the deep compartment 17, and which is divided into chambers 18'by two parallel ribs '19, the space bet-ween the chambers 18 serving for receiving the frictionally actuated feeding element 20, the foremost point of which is about flush with the front wall of the extension 16.

I The feeding element or drum 20, as seen in Figures 5 and 3, has the form of a shallow drum provided with a slightly enlarged flange 21 which is knurled at its circumference to enhance the frictional effect of the ribbon thereon: the annular wall 22 of the drum is slightly tapered to facilitate the transfer of ink to said knurled margin 21. This annular wall 22 also contains, in the embodiment shown, a single notch 23 for a purpose which will later be described. a

- tal wall 25 projecting from the front of'the extension 16 between the two chambers 18 towards the ink well compartment 17 The feeder 2O is maintained at proper distance from the wall by a spacing sleeve 26 which loosely surrounds the screw 24. Owing to the knurled margin 21 onthis rotary feeder 20, the advance of the feeder during the step by step advance movement of the ribbon will be assured, and at the same time the friction will not be excessive, since it is the knurled marginal portion only that is engaged by the ribbon.

This shallow marginal knurling of the feeder will also have the effect that upon rapidly advancing the ribbon, as for instance when the operator rewinds it by hand, that the ribbon will tend to slip over the feeder without'actuating it. Therefore, during this rapid movement of the ribbon, it will not be excessively inked.

A transfer Wheel or conveyor 27 is loosely and rotatably supported on the rear wall of the well 11, as for instance on a boss 28 projecting from the same. .A thin blade spring 29 is secured to the opposite wall, of the well and has its free end yieldingly engaging the conveyor 27 adjacent that point where theteeth 30 of the transfer wheel engage the feeder 20. The amount of ink feed will be varied proportionally to the area of the ends of the teeth.

- The transfer wheel being dish shaped or curved in cross-section will, therefore, pre- 'sent only the teeth 30 to the flange or annular wall 22 of the feeder, and whenever the notch 23 reaches a position opposite the point of a tooth, the conveyor transfer element 27 will be rotated one step, and during this step the ink carried by the tooth, somewhat as a penpoint carries ink, will be transferred to the feeder 20. This ink primarily deposited in the notch 23 in the form of a small drop or globule may be partially distributed over the .outer surface of the annular wall 22, and

since the ribbon engages the feeder, the ribbon will receive this ink, where it will be uniformly spread bycapillary action. In this manner a very satisfactory inking condition of the ribbon is assured during the operation of the machine regardless of the age of the ribbon.

The inkwell is secured to the reservoir by the short rigid pipes 12, 13, one of which goes from the bottom of the reservoir to the botfrom thecenter of the machine.

wall of the reservoir has a small plate 43 for a closure 31 advisably consisting of transparent material, as for instance celluloid or glass which is inserted into suitable guide grooves on the ribs 19, and aids in keeping dirt out and in easy inspection. When the typewriter, upon'which the device is mounted, is moved from a horizontalto a vertical position as aforementioned, the ink in compartment 17 flows into chambers 18 and is thus prevented from flowing out of the opens front wall of the machine by a screw engaging a tapped hole provided for in many machines of this type, or a special tapped hole may be provided. The bracket 40 has an angular extension with a slot in it to render the device. adjustable to different distances The lateral receiving a pin 44 for rotatably securing it to the top of the bracket 40. A torsion spring 45 surrounding said pin is anchoredthereto ing in which the feeder element 20 is mountat one end, and at the other end to the plate 43,

the spring having a tendency to normally urge the reservoir into a position inwhich the feeder contacts the surface of the ribbon. It is feasible, howeVer,-to swing the reservoir with its well about the vertical pin 44 overcoming the tension of the spring-where \it is desired to utilize the ribbon without feeding 1. A typewriter ribbon inking device of the character described, including a receptacle adapted to contain an ink supply, a rotary feeder element in said receptacle actuated by direct contact with the ribbon, and means continuously extending into said ink supply intermittently operated by co-operative engagement within said receptaclewith means formed in the feeder element for feeding ink intermittently from the supply to the feeder element.

2. A typwriter ribbon inking device of the character described, including a receptacle adapted to contain an ink supply, a feeder element in said reservoir continuously operable by direct contact with an inking ribbon, and rotary means continuously extending into said supply intermittently actuated supplX to the feeder element.

by engagement, within saidreceptacle with means in said continually operated feeder element for feeding ink intermittently from the typewriter ribbon inking device of the I character described, including .a receptacle adapted to contain an ink supply, .a feeder element in said receptacle, and rotary means continually extending into said ink supply actuated by direct co-operative' engagement within said receptacle with means in the feeder element for transferring uniform dropsof ink from the supply to the feeder element. 1 1 a 4. A ribbon inking device for use on ribbon printing machines, including a rotary feeder element in frictional engagement with 'the' ribbon, an ink supply and a transfer element continually extending into the ink supply and intermittently in operative engagement with l the feeder element and adapted to beinter- 'mittently operated thereby.

5. In an ink feeding device for use on type writing machines having a movable ribbon, a drum, means for rotatably supporting said drum, and rotary means intermittently engaging recesses in said drum for intermittently supplying uniform quantities of ink in the form of drops to said drum, the drum being in engagement with the. ribbon which is supplied with said uniform quantities of ink.

6. In a ribbon inking device for use on ribbon printing machines, a rotary drum having a knurled margin, and means for supplying ink to said drum, the drum being in engagement with the ribbon on the knurled 7 margin.

. 7. A ribbon inking device for use on ribbon printing machines, including a drum mounted for rotary movement, the cylindrical wall of the drum having a notch, an ink supply and a transfer element for conveying ink from said supply to said drum, said transfer element having means entering the notch in .the wall of the drum.

8. A ribbon inking device for use on ribbon printing machines, including in combination with a ribbon actuated rotary feeding drum, an ink container and a transfer wheel rotatvably mounted in operative engagement with 10. A ribbon inking device for nation with an ink container a rotary ribbon actuated feeding drum mounted onsaid container outside the ink supply, and a transfer wheel rotatably mounted .inthe container,

entering the ink supply and in operative reuse on ribbon printing machlnes comprlsmg 1n combilation to said feeding element, said transfer I wheel being of concave cross section,

11. A ribbon inking device for use on rib-j} bon printing machines,'c'omprising in combination with an ink container a ribbon actuated rotary feeder mounted on said container outside the ink supply, and a transfer wheel in operative relation to said 'feeder mounted in the container and extending into the ink "supply, said transfer wheel having a plurality of teeth of the nature ofpoints curved transversely to the plane of the wheel and adapted to transfer quantities of ink to the said feeder.

12. A ribbon inking device for on ribbon printing machines, comprising in combination with a rotary feeder actuated by the ribbon, acontainer for the ink on which container said feeder is mounted, and a transfer wheel rotatably mounted within the container and extending into the ink supply,

said transfer wheel being provided with teeth, the points of which determine the quantity of ink to be transferred successively upon each rotary movement of the transfer wheel from the ink supply to the feeder.

13. A. ribbon inking device for use-on ribbon printing machines, comprising an inkwell, an ink feeding element mounted therein, the ink-well being provided with an enlargement'in which-said feeding element is located, and spaced chambers in the enlar ment communicating with the interior of t e ink-well adapted to receive ink from the ink-well when said ink-well is tilted, the ink feeding element being disposed within the space between said chambers.

14. A ribbon inking device, for use on ribbon printing machines, including an ink-well in the form of relatively shallow receptacle provided with an enlargement near one end, chambers in the enlargement communicating with the interior of the receptacle adapted to receive ink from the receptacle when the ink-well is tilted, a feeder element rotatably disposed between said chambers, a 010- sure for the space in which the feeder element is disposed, and mechanism actuated by said feeder element and located within the ink-well for transferring ink from the receptacle to the feederelement.

15. A ribbon inking device for use. on ribbon printing machines, comprising a container in the form of a relatively deep com: partment having an enlargement, the enlargement being provided with chambers, which are spaced from each other and closed except at the point where they-communicate with the interior of the compartment, a. rotary ribbon feeding element located in the open space between said chambers, mechanism actuated by the feeder element for transferring ink from the receptacle to the feeding element, and a transparent closure for the space in which said rotary feeding element is disposed.

16. In a device of the character described, the combination of a reservoir for ink, anink-well communicating with said reservoir through pipes at spaced levels, one of said pipes terminating in the ink-well at the level above the ink in the reservoir, a drum rotatably mounted in the ink-well above the level of the ink in the reservoir, and a transfer wheel intermittently operable by said feeding element, and permanently immersed in the ink of the well.

17. In" a device of the character described, the combination of a reservoir, an ink-well, a pipe extending from the bottom of the ink well to the bottom of the reservoir, another pipe extending from the top of the reservoir to a place above the level of the ink in the ink-well, a compartment and a plurality of chambers in the ink-well, one of which c ham-. bers communicates with the reservoir through'said second named pipe, a feeding element in a chamber in the ink-well which does not communicate with the reservoir, and a transfer wheel intermittently operable by the feeding element and permanently im-f vmersed in the ink of the ink-well.

18. A device of the character described, 1

comprising in combination, a rece tacle forink, a feeding wheel having a knured flange rotatable in said receptacle and adapted to be rotated by friction of said knurled flange on a moving ribbon, a transfer wheel rotatably mounted in the ink receptacle, and portions depending from the knurled flange of said feeding element for intermittently actuating the transfer wheel in said ink receptacle.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signa tures at 10 South La Salle St., Otis Bldg, Chicago, Ill,

.WALTER H. YOUNG.

EMIL o. ECKLAND. 

